


Divergencies

by Jen425



Category: Super Sentai Series, Tokusatsu, 騎士竜戦隊リュウソウジャー | Kishiryu Sentai Ryusoulger
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Angst and Feels, Angst with a Happy Ending, Developing Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:28:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28308267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jen425/pseuds/Jen425
Summary: Nada lives.
Relationships: Koh (Ryusoulger)/Nada (Ryusoulger)
Kudos: 8
Collections: Another Toku Holiday Special (2020)





	Divergencies

**Author's Note:**

  * For [borrowedphrases](https://archiveofourown.org/users/borrowedphrases/gifts).



> Been meaning to write this one for a while. Hope you enjoy!

Nada doesn’t die.

It takes him a minute to consider that, after the fight ends. He had really thought he wouldn’t survive this, but he’s breathing, and Koh is holding a claw made out of his armor, and then he isn’t and he’s holding out his hand as the others get up.

Nada takes it.

And then Koh puts the claw in his hand.

“Congratulations,” he says. “Ryusoul Max.”

  
  
  


The thing is, when Nada tries out the armor, it’s still purple, which he doesn’t particularly mind, anymore. It feels so different from Gaisoulg, even the healed one, it feels like  _ himself _ .

He thought he’d have to go away to train. Now he finally thinks he might get to belong here.

Koh smiles at him, and he  _ knows _ he belongs here.

  
  
  


The nightmares don’t go away, but he didn’t expect them to. They haunt his dreams with the internal cries of his predecessors alongside the acts of violence.

He wakes from nightmares of Master Green falling apart in his own former Master’s arms, and he wishes he could let himself do that. But he knows he doesn’t deserve to.

(He doesn’t think about helping Koh the night after the others had saved him, the quiet understanding in the usually brash man’s form.

“Is it always…” Koh had murmured.

“I got used to it,” Nada had lied. “Glad you don’t have to.”

Koh had nodded and passed out in Nada’s arms.)

  
  
  


Pricious arrives. Nada’s heard of her, and he goes carefully into that fight.

It’s not enough, so they train, and he thinks “good”.

Because if Pricious is here, something far worse is coming. He doesn’t know how to explain to them, so he simply prepares himself.

  
  
  


His test is a fight against Gaisoulg. It apparently takes him a day and a half to find the key.

  
  
  


He talks to Bamba. Makes the other talk, really, or maybe that was Towa. The kid’s grown so much and it’s almost disconcerting, but it’s also been so long.

Bamba doesn’t forgive him, that’s not his way. Nada all but follows him around for an hour and neither talk. But afterwards there’s this look, this open look like the Bamba Nada knew.

“I won’t ask what happened to Master Black,” Nada says, and Bamba stares. “It’s written all over your face.”

He doesn’t tell Bamba about who he’d met out across the universe.

He doesn’t think it matters.

  
  
  


Koh asks Nada to go on a walk one day, between everything. Nada follows him without thinking. It feels good, to have time to spend with the younger Ryusoul Tribesman.

“I’m really glad you’re here,” he says. “I can’t imagine what we’d do without your knowledge.”

“Hey,” Nada says. “I’m sure you’d figure it out. You’re incredible, Koh.”

“So are you,” Koh replies, without hesitation. “It wasn’t for long, but I saw. It takes most people moments, maybe days to give in to the armor.”

Nada flinches.

“Sorry,” Koh says. “I shouldn’t have…”

“It’s fine,” Nada replies, knowing it comes out too quick. “Just… bad memories. I’ve felt the minds of too many people who let it consume them.”

The more people who wear the armor, the harder it is to escape it.

An accident genius trick of design.

“I’m sorry,” Koh says again, and Nada laughs.

“You have nothing to apologize for,” he says. “You saved me in more ways than one.”

“And you saved all of us a week later,” Koh says, taking Nada’s hands. “I don’t regret it.”

Nada smiles.

“I’m glad for that,” he says.

No more words need to be spoken, then.

  
  
  


The fighting continues. Nada advises where he can, fights alongside the others.

Fights alongside Koh.

And then outside, he spends time with them, becomes a true part of the team.

And at night, he finds himself in Koh’s bed or with Koh’s in his.

The nightmares fade. The fighting increases.

  
  
  


He dreams of a world without fighting. Bamba smiles more. Everyone is friends regardless.

He never left the village, he just feels the others’ happiness with an intrinsic knowing.

He wakes up and wonders what it says that he’s separate from his perfect world.

  
  
  


Koh dies, it seems, and Nada delivers the final blow with Koh’s sword.

  
  
  


(But Koh lives, too.)

  
  
  


“I’m glad you’re here,” Koh says again, a month after that final battle. Nada smiles, though he doesn’t turn to the man leaning into him.

“So am I.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
